It felt like déjà vu in Bengaluru as relentless rains hammered the city overnight, leaving roads underwater, homes flooded, and residents caught in a whirlwind of chaos. With over 100 mm of rain falling in just one night, the Silicon Valley of India found itself once again facing the same old monsoon troubles — flooding, traffic jams, and waterlogged streets.
The downpour, which kicked off late in the evening and stretched into the early hours, laid bare the city’s fragile infrastructure and the poor urban planning that has plagued Bengaluru in recent years. From Mahadevapura to Bellandur, and Koramangala to HSR Layout, the scene was all too familiar: knee-deep water, stranded cars, overflowing drains, and lives turned upside down.
A City Brought to Its Knees
Despite multiple warnings from meteorological agencies and a yellow alert from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city seemed woefully unprepared for the deluge. The IMD had predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall for Bengaluru, linking the weather to a pre-monsoon trough and wind disruptions in the area. What was forecasted quickly became a harsh reality as stormwater drains overflowed and lakes spilled over.
Major roads like the Outer Ring Road and Old Airport Road transformed into rivers overnight. Public transport ground to a halt in many areas. Commuters, including office workers and schoolchildren, faced significant delays, with several vehicles seen either floating or stuck in underpasses. For those living in low-lying neighborhoods like BTM Layout, Ejipura, and Shantinagar, waking up to flooded homes was more than just a hassle — it was a nightmare.
Political Response and Work-from-Home Push
The images coming out of Bengaluru were alarming enough to raise concerns at the national level. Bangalore Central MP P.C. Mohan took to social media, urging companies to let employees work from home, emphasizing that mobility was severely impacted and the safety of citizens should be the top priority.
The Chief Minister’s Office has announced that senior officials are keeping a close eye on the situation, and disaster response teams are on high alert. However, critics have pointed out that this reactive strategy seems to be a recurring issue every monsoon season, with little sign of any long-term planning or meaningful change.
Why Bengaluru Floods — Every Time
At the core of Bengaluru’s waterlogging problems is a dangerous mix of rapid urban growth, the encroachment of stormwater drains (rajakaluves), the loss of natural wetlands, and poor urban planning. Over the last twenty years, the city has seen unchecked construction over floodplains and lakebeds. Once, Bengaluru had a well-connected network of lakes and canals that allowed water to flow freely, but much of that ecosystem has been wiped out in the name of development.
As the city continues to grow both upwards and outwards, the infrastructure meant to support this expansion has struggled to keep pace. Narrow drains, unregulated construction, and careless waste disposal only add to the problem. Experts have long warned that Bengaluru’s landscape — with its gentle slopes and natural valleys — makes it particularly susceptible to flooding if its natural water channels are obstructed.
Tech Hub or Water Hub?
It’s quite ironic that India’s IT capital, celebrated worldwide for its innovation and cutting-edge startups, often comes to a standstill due to something as simple as rain. For global tech companies with significant operations in Bengaluru, this isn’t merely a civic issue — it poses a risk to business continuity. Flooding disrupts employee commutes, damages infrastructure, and hampers productivity. Some companies have even started to implement contingency plans that include work-from-home policies during the monsoon season, temporary office closures, and emergency accommodations for essential staff.
In the long run, these recurring incidents could shake investor confidence, especially if the fundamental infrastructure issues remain unaddressed.
